Beautiful All-color Chicago


Railroad Photography


EXPLORING THE COMPLEX WORLD OF HISTORIC RAILWAY PRESERVATION


Award-winning author and photographer Robert P.


Olmsted covers the periods 1956 to 1966 and 1986 to 1996


Visitors have just disembarked from the train and are following the sign directing them towards the Restoration Shop tour at the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum in Rush, N.Y. Simple signage like this helps enhance your visitor experience, and can be made inexpensively.


Hey, What’s Your Sign?


THERE ARE MANY WAYS you can make improvements to your grounds without having to spend a lot of money. One way is to invest in good signage to help guide your visitors. You don’t have to spend a lot to create signage that is eye-catching, as well as sturdy and weatherproof.


Sandwich Board Sign The short train ride at the Rochester


& Genesee Valley Railroad Museum in Rush, N.Y., takes visitors from our restored passenger station up to our Restoration Shop and display yard. Visitors getting off the train were not always sure of where to go to next, despite having volunteer guides to show the way. I didn’t think we needed permanent signage, so I decided to make two “sandwich boards” that could be put out on event days and put away when we were closed. I wanted the design to be simple with the


Tour Chicago’s railroad scene in 1970-71 with veteran railroad writer and photographer, George Hamlin


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least amount of waste. I also didn’t want to make the signs too heavy, which would make them difficult for volunteers to move. Here’s a shopping list that will net you two signs. I purchased one 4'x8' sheet of plywood. Make sure you get something less than half-inch thick, with at least one smooth side. I got four 1"x3"x8" pieces for legs. For hinges, I used 3" zinc-plated hinges (they come in two-packs; I like the ones from Everbilt because they are inexpensive and include screws). You’ll want to pick up 6 feet of light gauge metal chain, and maybe even a box of 1" screws. Make sure to get the plywood cut into four 2x4 panels before leaving the store; this will make it easier to transport and will save you from having to make the cuts yourself. Our shop has a number of tools including


a table saw and a radial arm saw that helped speed construction. You can also accomplish the same results with a simple handsaw and some other basic hand tools. Start with the legs. Cut two 1x3s in half


at the four-foot mark. I decided to cut off the bottom 6" from the 2x4 foot plywood panels. That way, the bottom of your sign isn’t resting on the dirt or grass, and makes the legs more stable on uneven terrain. I screwed the panels to the legs. I then flipped over the panels and lined


up the legs to attach the hinges to the top. I then used the 6" plywood scrap to make a cross brace that lined up with the bottom of the plywood panel (don’t place the brace at the top or the sign won’t fold up for storage). This will stiffen up the structure, and add some weight to the bottom of the sign to make it more stable. I then stood the sign up and measured 18" of chain to attach to the legs to limit how far the sign can open and to keep it from collapsing. I simply drove a screw through one of the chain links into each leg. With the structure complete, now comes


time for finishing. Give the panel surface a light sanding, and start with a coat of regular latex primer. I wanted the signs to stand out, so I chose a gloss yellow exterior latex paint. I applied two coats of yellow, lightly sanding beween applications and allowing each coat to dry overnight. This will ensure a smooth surface for your sign graphics to adhere to. I prefer to use cut vinyl graphics rather than hand-paint or stencil because they are easier to apply, look consistent, and will stand up to the ravages of weather when done properly. For visitor guidance, you want your lettering to be as large and clear as it can be. Use as few words as possible. I made one sign that said “SHOP TOUR” and another that said “MORE TRAINS” each with an arrow pointing the way. To make the lettering, I chose a condensed typeface that is easy to read called Trade Gothic Condensed. There’s a couple of ways to make sign graphics. One method is to work with a local sign shop (search for “vinyl graphics” to find a vendor near you). They can design the graphics and cut the vinyl


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